Apparatus for heating inflating-gas in balloons.



R. H. UPSON.

APPARATUS FOR HEATING INFLATING GAS IN BALLOONS.

APPLIOATION nun JAN. 29, 101s.

1,096,578. Patented'May 12,1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

. 5 Lil R. H. UPSON. I APPARATUS FOR HEATING INFLATING GAS IN BALLOONS.APPLICATION FILED JAN. 29, 1913.

1,096,578. Patented May 12,1914.

2 SIIHETS SlIEET 2.

Q insects which is pivotally united a link 13 and to which a linlr letis hinged at and each pair is further connectedv by a resilientolenient'l5. The opposite end of each linlr 14 is pivotally connected to anear 1? on the inner face of a dish-shaped valve 18, the edge of the openportion of Which is adapted toseat in the annular groove 11 in themember 5 and close the opening termed by 1o said member. The normaltendency of the resilient clcuients l6 to shift each valve 18 to itsclosed position as shown in the riubt in 2. in this figure, the positionor one of the valves in its open position is indicated by dotted lineson the left of the figure. Secured to the outer faces of the me talliccovering 9 on one side of the ring 5 are a plurality o'i'i brackets 19to which are pivotal'lyconnccted levers 20 provided with 20 pivot-pins21. in practice, it is customary to employ a plurality of these levers20 for a purpose to be later described. y The rings 5 on the opposingends of the conduits 3 and i will be separated from each other andbetween? them is interposed the mechanism for controlling thetemperature of the gas passing through the, conduits 8' ands from oneportion of the balloon to the other. This mechanism consists of acylindrical shell or casing 22 in both ends of Which are placed rings 23preferably of some light material such as Wood and pro vided withannular grooves 24 forming seats intr which the ridges 10 of the rings 5are adapted to seatvvhen the rings 5 and 23 are brought intojuxtaposition and this latter operation is accomplished through thefollowing mechanism: Secured on the outer I116- tallic coverings 25 oi.the rings 23 are a plurality of apertured brackets 26 to which arepivotally connected links 27 which are pivoted on the pivot-pins 21, sothat through the manipulation of the outer free ends of the levers 20the annular ridges 10 are tightly seated in the annillar grooves 24 foreffecting a fluid-tight joint between. the in teriors of the conduits 3and 4 and the interior of the casing 22. It will, of course, be-

obvious'that the means for causing the en gagement between both ends ofthe casing 22 and the ends of the tubular conduits 3 and 4 are similarin allrespects.

Fixedly secured on an inverted tl-sh'aped supporting frame 28 Within thecasing 22 is a radiator 29 which is normally heated by the motor usedfor propelling the balloon and :is cooled if desired throughthe mediumof Water which is introduced through a pipe 7 30. Extending across theupper end of the 6 casing 22 and preferably attached at their opposingends to the radiator area pair 0i diaphragms 31 and 32 each of which isprovided with minute apertures 33. Extending;- from the lower portion ofthe radiator-29 6 to the wall of the casing 22 are perforateddiaphragms' and 85. The object and function offihcse diaphragms willappear later.

decided in a bearing 86 in the wall of the casing and also in a bearing37 attached to the supporting frame 28 is a rotatable upright shaft 88to the upper end of which is secured a bevel-gear 39. Below the bevelgear 39 is an L'shaped housing 40 the upper end ll of which constitutesa bearing for 75 horizontally rotatable shaft t2 the opposite end 0twhich is rotatably mounted in a bearing 43 Within the radiator 29.Mount-- ed on the shaft 42 is a bevel-gear d4: rneslr ing with thebevehgear 39 to be rotated by no the latter. Mounted on the shaft 42 istan 4n) the function of which is to drive fluid within the casing 22through the radiator 29 for heating" it. lrranged in open coinmunication with the upper portion of he 35 4 interior of the casing 22above the dia-r phragrins 31 and 32 is a pipe 46 and below thediaphragms 341 and 35 and in open communication with the interior ofthecasing is a pipe 4:7.

liet'erring now more particularly to Fig. l, the pipes lti and 47communicate with a valvecasing $23 which is also provided with an inletpipe 49 coininunicating either with the balloon or with one of thetubular e5 conduits, and the casing 48 is further provid'ed with anexhaust pipe 50, and an in let pipe 51 for air under pressure and thispipe is provided with a check valve 52. Within the valve-casing 48 is avalve 53 the object and function of which Will appear later.

The rings 5 are shifted out of engagement with the casing 22 or intotheir open position by the following mechanism: Secured to the outerportions of the ring 7 by means such for instance as eyes 5% is:rfiexible member such for instance as s Wire or cord 55 which passesaround pulleys 56;,57 and 551. The ring '5 on the open end of theconduit 3 is shifted through the medium of a flexible member 5.9 whichpasses around pulleys 60, 61 and 62, and its free ends are connectedwith the ring; 7. Securedto the pulleys 57 and 61 are flexible members63 11.. and 64:: ,respectiv ly, which Wind up on a Windlass 65 provi edwith a crank 66 Within reach of the operator of'the balloon; Thevalves-18 in the ends of the conduits 3 and 4 are opened through themediumof a fie)" ible member such forinstance as a Wire on cable whichextends from the valve 18 in the conduit 4 around pulleys 68, 69, 70,'71 and 72 to the valve in the conduit 3. The pulley 71 in turn isconnected by means of a flexible member i avith a Windlass 74: operatedby means of a crank 75.Within the. grasp of the operator. 1

The operation oi the device is as follows: Before going into a detaileddescription of the operation of this doviccfi't will bostatcd that themovements of the rings 5, when sl'iiltod into cngagcmcnt with tho rings23 for dosing tho oponings between the casing and the ends the conduitsf and t are approximately simultaneous and both must be operated toaccomplish the, tunction of this dcvico, that is to say, they arc bothuhiltcd into their opcn positions or in their closnd positions at thosumo timc. Suppos ing that both of the bands 5 are in tho posi tion ofthe band 5 on the 9nd of tho conduit l in the right in .i ig. Q and theends of thc conduits 3 and i: are spaccd from tho can int: 522 and thoalvcs iii in position to prevont lluid from passing through the radiatorfrom tho onduit ilto the conduit l, thou the air from the old-side willpass inwardly through the opening bctwcon the conduit 3 and the casing;522 into the casing 22 and from tbcncg outwardly through the openingbctwccn the casing, and the 0nd of the conduit l so that the radiator isthereby coolcd. and the tempcraturc of tho t is in the balloon is notattracted. Imagining this to be tho situation, and it is desired to boatthe {gas in the balloon, the rings 5 a rc drawn into Qnug engagementwiththo rings 23 of the casing 22 to cause the ridges 10 to scat in thegrooves 24 for effecting a fluid-tight joint, this; looing accomplishodthrough the medium oi. the lovers 20. Thu casing at this period istilled with normal atmospheric air and tollush this casing and to driveout the air therefrom, to prevent its being bl own into tho balloon, thevalve moved into the position shown in full lines; in .l ig. 1, so thatthe gas. from the ballomi will pass into tho valvc-cnsing 48 through thoiulct ll) and from thence uiwardljv through tho pipe M and downwardlyinto tho casing, above the diaphraggins 31 and 3" which lattcr serve todistribute the gas morn evenly and drivo out tho incloocd air downwardlythrough the perforalml diaphragms 3st and 35 and out throughltbc pipe 47into the valvo-casiru; 4.8 from which it escapes through the exhaust5t), When this has been accomplished, tho Windlass 34 is operated andthe valves [8 oponed and the gas is drawn downwardly from the balloonthrough the conduit by tho fan as, and is forced through tho radiatorwhich boats it and from thence it passes outwardly around the valve 18into the con-- duit l and finally into the balloon in a heatedcondition. When tho gas in the balloon has boon heated to a properdcigfcc, the valvcg; 18 clos'ed and the valve 53 turned to the positionindicated in dotted lines and air under pressure is introduced throughthe pipe 51 by opening the check valve 52 which permits the air to passfrom the pipe 51 up wardly through the valve into the pipe 47 andthrough. the perforated diuphragms 34 and 35, driving the gas containedin the catsing upwardly through the diaphragms Ill and $52 and oulwardlvthrough llupipc ll; into the valvc-cusiugfrom whcucc it cscupcs throughtho outlct. 51). A ltcr this has bccn cllcctcd, lhc bands 5 are shil'tcdaway from the bands 2;; or into thcir open positions as shown in theright in Fig. :2 so that the air may pass inwurdlj from the opcuing; udjaccnt to thc cud ol lhu conduit 25, past the fan and radiator :25) andoutwardly through the owning bclwccn the casing i1! and the end of theconduit 1-.

ill will be notvd that when thc Windlass i l is released tho valves; l3arc autoniulicallv closed whcnrvri' tho Windlass is not cuiploy'cd, sothat thurc is no escape of the gas through thc opcn cnds ol the conduitsll and i.

1. claim:

1. A. balloon, a pair of conduits communicating with the interiorthorcol at different points, the opposite. cnds of said conduitsopposing cach othcr, a heat-generating instrunicntalitv positionedbelwccn the cnds of said conduits, mcaua for shifting the rods of saidconduits away from said heat-generating instrumcutality, means forclosing tho cnds of said conduits when separated from saidhcutv-gcncrating instrulnentality to permit tho lattcr to ho uscdirrespective of said conduits. v

A balloon, a pair oi. conduits loading from dilivrcut portions of thointerior thoroof, thc oppmito cuds o )posiug' each other, valves in t,io ends i or (losing them, a heatgenera-ting instrumcntality positionedbetwccn the ends of said conduits, means for shifting the cnds of saidconduits toward and away from said heatgenerating; instruuicululity, andmeans for driving a current oi l'luid through said hcat -gencratiuginslrumcntality.

Il. In combination, a balloon, a pair of said balloon, tho oppositc endsof said conduits opposing each other, rigid members secured on the endsof said conduits, a cusing positioncd bctwccn the rigid members on theopposing ends of said conduits, means for shifting said membersinto-fluid-tight cngagcincnt with the ends of said casino, and aboat-generating instrumcntulity interposed on said casing.

4. In combination, a balloon, a pair of conduits loading from differentpoints of said balloon, the opposite culls of said conduits opposingouch othcr, rigid ring-forming mcn'ibcrs scoured .to the ends of saidconduits, valves carried by isaid ring-forming momhors for closing theends: of said conduits, a casing interposed between said ring-formingmember, means for shifting said ring-forming mcmbcrs into and out ofengagement with said casing, a hcat-gcncrat ing instrumcntality carriedby said casing too couduits loading from dili'crcnt points of J andadapted to heat 't-he interior of said balloon, and the fluid passingthrough said conduits when the i.'ingforming members are in their closedposition and said valves are open, said heat-generating instrumentaliiybeing also operative when said valves are closed and said ring-formingmembers are shifted away from said casin 5. in combination, a balloon, apair of conduits leading from diiiereni points of said balloon, theopposite ends of said conduits opposing each other, rigid memberssecured to the opposing ends of said eondui'ls, valves carried by saidrigid members for closing the ends of said conduits, a casing interposedbetween said rigid members, a heat-generating instrufnentality carriedby said casing, a fan for driving a fluid through said heat-generatinginstrumentality, means for shifting said rigid memhers into and out ofsnug engagement with theends of'said casing, and a motor adapted tooperate said fluid-driving means and fur- :nish heat to saidheaogenorating instrumenialii I 6. A device for heating the fluid withina balloon embodying a casin arranged to he intei-posed in a conduit leamg to the interior. of said balloon, a motor radiator positioned in saidcasing, a fan for driving a fiuid through said radiator, a foraminouspartitionextending across said casing, pipes communicatiiig with saidcasing on opposite sesame sides of said partition, valve mechanismcon'imunioating Wiih air under pyessure and the fluid under pressure insaid balloon for alternately filling said casing eithe" with air or thegas from the balloon.

7. A ballo u, a pair of conduits comimmicasing at di. exit points withi'he interior thereof, the ends of said conduits provided with rigidmembers, valves carried by said rigid members, a casinginterposedbetween said rigid members, means to shift said rigid membersinto and out of engagement Wiih said. casiilg, a heat-generatinginstrumentality positioned Within said casing and ar. ranged to heat thefluid passing shi'ougli conduits when the rigid members are inengagemens with said casing and said valves are open and adapted to beair-misled Whe said valves are closed and she ends s id conduitsseparaied from said casing to permit the entrance of ou'side through theopeningbetween one conduit. and said ing and escaping through theopening tween the end of the other conduit and said casing,substantially as shown and described,

In testimony wlzereoi 1 have hereunto set my hand in presence of twomesses.

subscsibiiig wit- HAZ'LETT UEPSQN,

ioness ass I G hosasneev,

